Indonesia's first free parliamentary election after decades of repressive rule took place in 1999. Indonesia is now the world's third-largest democracy, the world's largest archipelagic state, and home to the world's largest Muslim population.

Area:
Total: 1,904,569 sq km
The 16 biggest in the world

Land:
1,811,569 sq km
Water: 93,000 sq km

Coastline:54,716 km
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain:
Mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

Population:
240,271,522 (July 2009 est.)
The 4`th biggest in the world

Religions:
Muslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4% (2000 census) 

Airports:683 (2009)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 164
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 51
914 to 1,523 m: 56
under 914 m: 35 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5191,
524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 25
under 914 m: 489 (2009)

Heliports:36 (2009)